Fashion house Schiaparelli appoints Marco Zanini

PARIS (AP) — Designer Marco Zanini has been named creative director of the revived fashion house Schiaparelli.

The revival of the once legendary fashion house is one of the most anticipated Paris fashion events of recent years.

“Schiaparelli symbolizes the capacity to think and create in a different way. My wish is to make this mythical house live again,” said Zanini in a statement Monday.

Though Elsa Schiaparelli, the hated rival of Coco Chanel, is no longer a household name — her business folded in 1954, and she died in 1973 — her influential design firsts have lived on: newspaper prints, exposed zippers, perfume bottles in the female form, shocking pink and — arguably — the first woman’s power suit.

Zanini will reveal his first collection during Paris couture week in January.